Tobacco Factory Theatres (TFT) have started rehearsals for their main house festive production of Hansel & Gretel which runs at the venue from 28th of November 2024 to 19th of January 2025. The show is being co-produced with New International Encounter (NIE).
Following last year’s record-breaking Christmas hit, Oliver Twist, TFT are thrilled to partner once more this year with the award-winning NIE having co-produced The Snow Queen, Snow White and Beauty and The Beast in recent years.
This year’s talented cast of actor/musicians include some familiar faces with Joey Hickman, Stefanie Mueller, Abayomi Oniyide and Samantha Sutherland all returning from the company’s last run of The Snow Queen 2 years ago. The 5-strong cast is completed by Martin Bonger, a Bristol-based theatre maker, whose work includes The Collision of Things, Fat Man, Messenger, This Crossing and five previous productions with New International Encounter.
Alex Byrne, Director of Hansel & Gretel and Co-Artistic Director of NIE, the company that he founded in 2001, says:
“Bristol is our favourite place to perform, we absolutely love the audiences here. It is always a joy to bring together this multi-talented cast at Tobacco Factory Theatres at Christmas, it is a special place indeed. As always with our shows, this cast, as well as taking on these wonderful characters, will perform a gorgeous original score created by Composer Elliot Davis with musical direction from Joey Hickman.”
This famous fairy-tale from The Brothers Grimm follows Hansel and Gretel as they journey across a cold, dark forest, until they reach a tiny cottage in the middle of the woods. The cottage is unlike anything they’ve ever seen before. Its roof is made of gingerbread, the walls of chocolate cake, the door is made of boiled sweets and the windows a clear, crystalised sugary glaze. But what’s inside?
Artistic Director of Tobacco Factory Theatres, Heidi Vaughan says: ‘’This really is the most wonderous time of year for any theatre. It’s also the most important in terms of support from audiences. We were blown away last year with a record-breaking festive season at TFT – over 19,000 people coming through our doors. We’ve already had to extend the run of Hansel & Gretel this year due to popular demand and we are truly thrilled to welcome NIE back with this magical show following our wonderful co-productions in the past.”
With Hansel & Gretel transforming the main Factory Theatre into a mythical wonderland, TFT have two other productions running in December in their Spielman Studio Theatre.
Living Spit bring a feast of festive foolery for adults with their take on A Christmas Carol from 9th of December 2024 to 5th of January 2025 and for the pre-school age children, Little Angel Theatre will warm hearts in the glistening snow with the the early year’s favourite, ME by much loved children’s author Emma Dodd.
Tickets for all three productions are available now!
Posted on 05 November 2024
